Hard to Be Humble

Daniel 3:1-7 “1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” 7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up” (KJV).

At the end of chapter 2 Nebuchadnezzar was so impressed with Daniel’s interpretation of his dream, that he tells Daniel “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery” (Dan. 2:47, KJV). Chapter 3 begins with Nebuchadnezzar having a large idol built. This idol was about 90 ft. tall and 9 ft. wide; covered in gold, portraying himself as a god.

I have to wonder how this king could believe in the Lord Almighty, yet turn around and build a huge gold covered statue. He also commanded everyone to worship this idol every time the music played. The king sent official messengers to surrounding towns of his empire, commanding the officials to gather everyone for the dedication of the great golden image. This was more than a simple political gathering or assembly, this was a religious service; a religious service that the king used to gather and control the people. He required everyone to submit and worship to his authority.

Practical Application:

What would cause a man to desire so much power? Pride has a way of controlling our desires and actions. What happens when we allow any form of pride to take over in our hearts? The first thing I thought of was 1 John 2:16 – “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world”. Pride allows us to believe that we are in control and that we don’t need God. When our faith and dependence fall on the ways of the world instead of God, we are placing ourselves in a dangerous situation. Scripture has many warnings about pride…

Proverbs 16:5 “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished”.

Proverbs 29:23 “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit”.

Galatians 6:3 “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself”. Proverbs 11:2 “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom” (KJV).

In order to fight against pride and guard the heart, we must accept a level of humility that portrays the same humility our Savior displays. I have always like the saying “it’s hard to be humble”. One reason this phrase is a favorite of mine is that it really is “hard to be humble”. We may say to ourselves, “I’m a humble person”, but if you really think about it, the answer to that question may surprise you. Are we really doing all we can for others, have we taken time out of our busy schedule to pray, study, and read our Bible? Have we given enough time to listen to our family or children? Have we placed anything above our Lord today?

Pride may not be something we view as a problem. Nebuchadnezzar was blessed to have his dreams interpreted, so blessed that he gave glory to the Lord, yet he turned around and let pride take over. Pride begins inside the heart, thinking that we are better or more deserving than others. The “infection of pride” begins internally, but it does not take long for the symptoms to begin to show externally.

Here’s an example that I see every year during the holiday season. I am standing in a long check-out line at the store. People in line are getting frustrated because it is taking longer than they think it should. Then, the cashier runs into a problem, they need to do a price check, or the person checking out is having trouble swiping their card. The people in line are beginning to get angry, spitting their evil venom and hurtful words. How do you react? Does pride take over and you begin to join in with the others? Or, do you smile and share the humility of Christ. That cashier might be working a long shift because another co-worker called in sick. They may have had a really difficult day, something tragic may have occurred.

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Caution, God at Work!

   Galatians 1:1-10

“1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: 3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: 5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you that ye have received, let him be accursed. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (KJV).

The apostle Paul opens his letter by establishing his authority and office as an apostle. He sets the record straight by letting the churches’ know that he did not give himself the title of apostle, but was appointed by Jesus himself. There were multiple churches’ at Galatia and Paul was troubled by the discord that fell among them. The churches’ were teaching a different gospel message; in verse 6 Paul states that he is “marveled” at the short amount of time it took for the churches’ to dilute and distort the truth. He quickly identifies that there are some among them that are agitating or stirring up trouble.

Not only does Paul address the problem with preaching false teachings, but he takes the time to identify and call out the ones causing the problems. I found it interesting that Paul did not just stop there; he dug down deep and explains why these trouble makers were causing problems. They were trying to please men, using the same techniques we see today. People trying to convince, sway, and influence others in order to gain acceptance and recognition. Paul did not just turn the cheek and walk away when these trouble makers were spreading rumors that he was not an apostle. He stood his ground and addressed the problem by proclaiming His truth.

Application

Today we have the same behavior inside the church walls, people trying to gain recognition: by justifying their sinful actions, talking behind people’s backs, or spreading false rumors. I believe Paul teaches us a few valuable lessons here. First, we must be careful about how we talk about others. Second, we must ensure that what we say is grounded in biblical truth and delivered with love. Third, we should not be afraid to speak and share His truth. Paul did not hold back speaking the true gospel, he identified the problem, addressed those who were spreading the rumors and teaching false doctrine, as well as why they were doing it. Paul teaches us to stand up for our Christian faith… we do that by staying true to His word.

Lord, grant us the strength to stand upon your word; teach, counsel, and preach your truth in love. I pray others will see your love and grace through our actions. I pray we will all continue to fight the good fight, living for your honor and glory…Amen.

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Unlikely Disciple

   Acts 9:6 “And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do” (KJV). Saul of Tarsus was a man intent on extinguishing those who followed Christ. He requested written approval from the Sanhedrin high priests to follow after those Christians that fled Jerusalem. The question “why” came to mind; why did Saul of Tarsus have such a passionate belief that Christians were the enemy? Acts 22:3 “I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feed of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day” (KJV). He was a man taught by a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was considered a doctor of the Jewish law (Act. 5:34). There is no doubt that Saul had formal education in the Jewish law. His teachings would have included such law as Deut. 21:23 “His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God; that thy land be no defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance” (KJV). Before Saul was blinded by the Lord’s light, he was living by the works of the Jewish law. He believed that Christ died on the cross, but was not resurrected. Since the law was clear that any man who died on a cross was considered cursed by God; certainly he did not think that God would take a cursed false prophet and turn him into the Messiah. The Lord took one simple moment to close the physical eyes of Saul and open his spiritual eyes to the truth, that He was alive. That moment began with conviction upon his heart (Act. 9:5) and turned an unlikely disciple into one of the greatest missionaries recorded in Scripture. Saul of Tarsus became an evangelical soul winner of the lost; now called the Apostle Paul. The transformation occurred on a dusty road as he traveled towards Damascus to persecute Christians. Application Who do we picture when we think about lost souls? What type of occupation, lifestyle, race, economic, or social class of people do we see? Paul was an educated man and I would say he landed in the upper class of the Jewish population. Are we witnessing to all lost souls or do we pick and choose who we are willing to witness too? Maybe we are missing an opportunity to allow the Lord to turn a “Saul” into a “Paul”. Lost souls should not be placed into any other category other than those that are lost; people who need a chance to meet the Redeemer. In Christ, The Silent Preacher

Needing Some Rest

Matthew 11:27-28 (KJV)

27 “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

I can remember a time when I was able to work an 18 hour day in the Marine Corps. I would spend the entire day moving, seldom taking more than a few minutes to devour some chow. After working a long day, sleep was never a problem. Getting a few hours of sleep was all I needed, then it was back to work…and the cycle continued for years.

Oh, how those days are but a memory and reminder of my youth. But one thing remains and will remain the same, we all need rest. With the winter months upon us, the long sun filled days are slowly passing away. The frigid cold that will keep us from spending a long day outside, will keep most of us inside for a majority of our day. This may lead some of us to exercise less. Adding to this change is the approaching holiday seasons, which usually adds some additional challenges for some.

Two thoughts come to mind from the text. First, we have a time when things can get stressful. During the holidays we may find ourselves under more stress than usual. Stress is a normal part of life, but there may come a time when our stress becomes dangerous. Second, our stress not only affects us physically and mentally, but also spiritually.

Application

Stress awareness is vital to being able to recognize the signs and the ability to make adjustments in order to reduce added stressors. The same holds true for us spiritually. We must take time out of our busy days to come to Him and find our rest. Think of it like recharging our spiritual batteries. But we can’t recharge until we stop and plug-in. Slowing down will not allow us enough time to fully charge, we have to stop. “Take my yoke upon you…”, teaches us to come along side Christ. This does not mean that we are taking on more afflictions, but calling us to refocus our priorities to ensure we are doing His will. If we come along side Christ and join yokes with him, we will have no other choice but to follow, learn, and serve with him.

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Seeing Grace

Seeing GraceSeeing Grace

2 Corinthians 4:13-17 “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” (KJV).

Have you ever held a grudge? The answer is simple, of course we have. We have all faced times when we were at odds with someone. A grudge could be something internal, where you don’t tell anyone, but your thoughts about someone carried some negative tone. This is normal for us to experience, I can think of many times when a co-worker stabbed me in the back in order to make them look good to the boss. My first inward reaction is to lash out, talk to the supervisor, or seek revenge.

It is these moments when the Holy Spirit convicts me, overwriting the negative thoughts my hearts is spitting out. I thank the Lord for living inside me, speaking to my heart through the Spirit. I firmly believe that a “day without conviction, is a day without the Lord”. I am reminded that none of us are perfect and there is no way that we could ever walk a full day in perfection.

Application

The Lord forgives us through His perfect grace, even though we could never earn it. I wonder how our vision would be if we took a moment to see other people through the same lenses of grace that the Lord uses to see us? Those people that we hold a grudge against may be dealing with some internal pain that we can’t see, but God knows their pain and placed us in their path in order to help them, not fight against them…Paul reminds us in verse 15 that everything we face is done for a reason, and our affliction is only for a moment. But that leads us to the question of why? Think of it like this… The Lord doesn’t give us more than we can handle, and everything we face in life is in accordance with the will of God. The Lord may place us in circumstances to bless us, or He may be correcting us. One thing is clear, our affliction whether good or bad is designed for the sole purpose of extending His grace to others. People around us need to see how wonderful He is. This will bring honor and praise to our Father.

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

These Dry Bones

 Ezekiel 37: 9-14

(9)Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. (10) So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. (11) Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. (12) Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. (13) And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, (14) And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD (KJV).

Ezekiel received clear instructions from God. In the Hebrew language the word used for wind is ruach (roo ach), which can mean wind, breath, spirit, or the third person of the Trinity the Holy Spirit. When Ezekiel spoke the living Word of God, the breath from God entered the dead bodies and they lived and stood to their feet, renewed and regenerated.

God explains the meaning of the vision. The dead dry bones represent the whole Jewish nation, both Israel and Judah, a divided nation and a dead nation. The Jewish nation was represented by the dry bones on a battlefield. Israel’s situation seemed hopeless, but “with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26). The children of Israel will come together, but the nation will not have spiritual life until they see their Messiah, believe on Him, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The nation will be born again “in a day”. Isaiah 66:7-9 “Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God” (KJV).

Application

This vision is for any individual or ministry that is in need of new life from God. Too often God’s people are like that standing army, life-like but not alive. Where does true life come from? Life comes from the Holy Spirit and proclaiming the Word of God. Charles Spurgeon stated that “Decayed churches can most certainly be revived by the preaching of the Word, accompanied by the coming of the heavenly breath from the four winds”1.

The vision of the valley of dry bones gave hope to the nation of Israel. Hope that they would live again, but also any lost soul can live by God’s grace and power. What a great visual representation we have to remind us that we are surrounded by people who are just like these dry bones, whether they are lost or those in the ministry that need to be lifted up, supported, prayed for, and helped in order the bring life back into those dry bones. Remember the renewing of these old dry bones is possible.

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

1 Wiersbe, Warren W. Be Reverent: Bowing before Our Awesome God : OT Commentary, Ezekiel. 2nd ed. Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2010. Print.

Blurred Vision

 Genesis 27:1-4 “And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I. And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death: Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die” (KJV).

A great beginning will not always produce a great ending. This is a lesson taught throughout the Scriptures. Isaac was a man blessed greatly by the Lord, he had an excellent beginning, yet near the end of his life he was living under a dim cloud.

Sins that he committed that clouded his judgment:

  1. He put himself ahead of the Lord. Isaac was sure the he was going to die soon, yet his greatest desire was to enjoy a good meal. A meal cooked by his favorite son and chef. Remember that when Isaac’s father Abraham was preparing for his death, his only concern was to find a bride for his son and fulfill the covenant promise.
  2. He disobeyed God’s command. Before the boys Esau and Jacob were born, God had told Isaac and Rebekah that Jacob, the youngest son, was to receive the covenant blessing; yet Isaac planned to give the blessing to Esau.
  3. He lived by his feelings. Isaac was blind and apparently bedfast. His condition should have made him rely and trust on God and seek His help. Instead, Isaac rejected the way of faith and depended on his own senses; taste, touch, hearing, and smell. Proverbs 19:21 “There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand”.

Reflection

God has His purpose and plan for each life. It is our responsibility to accept that purpose and plan. Often times the end of life reveals the life… P. T. Barnum’s last words were “How were the receipts today at Madison Square Garden”. [1] Napoleon cried out on his death bed “Army! Head of the army”1 Isaac, the man who meditated and prayed in the fields at evening and who petitioned God on behalf of his wife, wanted only one thing; a savory meal of venison.

Today we live in a society that tells us to take the easy road. Have you ever confided in someone when you were going through a difficult time or simply needed some encouragement, think back to the advice they gave you. More often than not, they simply told you to do something different or take the easy way out. Now, that is not always the case and I do not want anyone to ignore the advice of a friend. Fellowship is a gift God blessed us with, a gift that allows us to walk with someone during the highs and lows of life.

Problems may arise when we take our eyes off the Lord, let others influence us, and get off track from what the Lord called us to do. My point is simple, ensure the advice you are taking is in accordance with the Lord’s will. The easy road may not be the road He intended for us. You can’t climb to the mountain top without first preparing for the trip…which is done in the valley.

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

 

[1] “Brain Candy Celebrity Quotes.” Dying Words of Famous People. Web. 6 Nov. 2014. <http://www.corsinet.com/braincandy/dying.html&gt;.

Lesson in Life

    Learning a Lesson in Life…

Psalm 90:10-12 “Who knoweth the power of thine anger? Even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (KJV).

One of the many points that a preacher will make from the pulpit is the warning that we may not be here tomorrow. Warning us to make sure we take full advantage of our time on this earth. Our days are numbered and we can all agree that no one knows the exact time of our departure.

Here the psalmist is reminding us that our time in life is limited, regardless of how healthy we are. With the advancement of modern medicine, we are still not living that much longer than we did years ago. Sin takes its toll on the human race, and we no longer see the long lifespans recorded in Genesis.

Sin may be an ugly word for some Christians to ponder; we may shy away from admitting our own sins. But why, I ask? The word sin reminds me of God’s wrath, not something I would like to see or be part of. We don’t like to think about the wrath of God, but every obituary in the newspaper is a reminder that “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23).

Reflection

Time is a gift and a blessing given to us by our Father. We are responsible for our own time. We have been given full power over the management of it in our lives. If we are honest and take a moment to look back over the last week or our lives; ask this question “Have I given enough time to the Lord”? I can admit that I have not!

I go back to asking myself the same simple question to my own response “Why”. I forgot to empty myself of all that I am; prepared myself to be the lump of clay that the Lord needs in order to mold me. Time is sacred and we should manage it as faithful stewards. Take the time today and ask the Lord for wisdom so we may become better stewards of our time and opportunities.

My Prayer

Lord, forgive me where I have failed you. Cleanse me of all that I am, all those things that occupy my time and keep me from focusing on you. Fill me with all that you are and use me as you desire for my life. Bless those that have taken the time out of their busy schedule to read this post. Speak to their hearts as you have spoken to mine. Lead us to victory over our sin and turn us again unto your righteousness. Thank you Lord for all that you do in my life, thank you for each blessing and gift that you have delivered into my life. Amen!

In Christ,

The Silent Preacher

Dreams and Goals

C.S. Lewis You are never too old I have seen many people get “stuck” in the mundane routines of everyday life. In fact, I have been there many times before. As I read C.S. Lewis’ quote “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream”, I was reminded of an inspiring verse, (which usually happens because my analytical brain asks the “why and how” questions). Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (KJV).

A new dream, goal, or inspiring moment may come from taken some time to sit quietly with the Lord; listening and allowing Him to renew your mind.

In the previous verse Paul sets the stage for a method of change. We are to present our bodies as living sacrifices unto Him. The first question that came to my mind as I read this verse was “what kind of sacrifice and what is acceptable and holy”? 1 Cor. 6:19-20 “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s”.

In order for us to present ourselves to the Lord we must be ready for change. Ever have a hard time falling asleep because you have a million thoughts racing through your mind? Well, the same holds true when we try to listen to the Lord. “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand” (Isa. 64:8).

Reflection:

We all get stuck at times and most of us would admit that we enjoy dreaming or set new goals. Find some quiet time to clear your mind. Before delving into your daily devotional routine, empty your mind. Think of yourself as a block of clay and allow the Lord to mold you into the beautiful creation he has designed you to be. In order to renew our minds we have to empty out the things this world. Otherwise our sacrifice will be spotted and blemished. Don’t we owe it to the Lord to give him our very best? He gave his very best for each of us…with grace and mercy…his only beloved Son!

In Christ,

Silent Preacher